# First students graduate from world’s first undergraduate degree in charity fundraising

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2017/11/13/first-students-graduate-from-worlds-first-undergraduate-degree-in-charity-fundraising/
- Published: 2017-11-13T00:20:20+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**The first cohort on the University of Chichester’s undergraduate degree, the Charity
Development BA (Hons), has graduated. The event took place at the Chichester Festival
Theatre.**

The course was set up in 2014 by Donna Day Lafferty, who has worked in fundraising
for 20 years. It was the [world’s first undergraduate degree in fundraising](https://fundraising.co.uk/2013/07/07/world039s-first-undergraduate-degree-fundraising-start-2014/)
for charity. Other institutions in the UK and internationally offer postgraduate
degrees in fundraising and related disciplines, but until now none offered any courses
at undergraduate level.

## Who are the new graduate fundraisers?

![First graduates on University of Chichester's undergraduate fundraising course](
https://wfay6x.infiniteuploads.cloud/2017/11/first-university-chichester-fundraising-
undergraduates-2.jpg)

_Donna Day Lafferty (centre) and the first students to graduate from the University
of Chichester’s undergraduate degree in fundraising._

Donna Day Lafferty says that at least half the applicants to the degree have spent
time volunteering for a charity, and often overseas.

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They certainly have a diverse background. The graduands last Monday included a bomb
disposal expert and a dancer.

 **SEE ALSO: [Guest experts confirmed for Fundraising Camp Chichester](https://fundraising.co.uk/2015/03/12/guest-experts-confirmed-for-fundraising-camp-chichester/)(
12 March 2015)**

The course included work placements and practical projects. Brogan Rehill, a volunteer
for Chichester homeless charity Stone Pillar, indentified over £10,000 in Gift Aid
income during her final year project. She is now Head of Operations at [UK Harvest](https://www.ukharvest.org.uk/).

Stacey Addison realised fundraising was the career for her when raising funds for
a small charity in Tanzania. During her work experience with [My Sisters House](http://mysistershouse.info/)
she wrote and fundraising strategy and developed its website. She has gone straight
into a role in the Trusts and Major Donors team at MIND.

## Why an undergraduate course?

Day Lafferty explained why she set up the [BA (Hons) in Charity Development](https://www.chi.ac.uk/business-school/degree-routes/ba-hons-charity-development).
She said that “it was clear to me that fundraising needed to professionalise. The
way we ask people for support is far more sophisticated than back when I started.”

She added: “if it’s done well it results in people being asked to help solve problems
they care about, and we know that most people only give when they are asked and 
that research shows that positive giving experiences make people happier.”

The three years in which the individuals took the course coincided with some of 
the greatest challenges faced by the profession in decades, following criticism 
of some charities and some of their methods. Day Lafferty argues that the course
fits the needs of the profession and of charities even more, given how fundraisers
and charities have had to rise to these challenges.